


Itazura to Karadashougai「悪戯と身体傷害」

by WhatIsAName



Series: ats verse [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Another title for this: kenma and akaashi have been abducted by swans, Basically i make almost every team relevant to the story, Bokuto is a rogue, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fantasy AU, Kenma Akaashi Makki Matsun Hinata Tsukki are princes, Kuroo is a rogue, M/M, Mpreg, Oh My God, daichi is a king, datekou has been turned into elves, for a fic with so many characters, im a sinful person forgive me, im only hurting myself, iwabara is the greatest knight anyone could ever have, kai would make a good leader, konoha is a priest, kyouken is a knight, lev is a prince, may have a small pinch of torture, no doubts, shibayama is a mage, suga is a queen, suga is pregnant, the arch mage of nekoma, there are a few pairings, they're BROGUES, yachi is a faerie, yahaba and kyouken are married and kindaichi and kunimi are their children, yahaba is a mage, yaku and kuroo settle their differences, yaku is a mage
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-29
Updated: 2017-06-16
Packaged: 2018-06-04 16:17:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6665587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhatIsAName/pseuds/WhatIsAName
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kuroo swore to God that if he ever survived this, he would never do wrong again.</p><p>He probably shouldn't have accepted that priestess's offer, anyway.</p><p>All he wanted was to get out of prison, not save the prince he was just about to play a trick on.</p><p>Life as a rogue sucked.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 誘拐「yuukai ー the abduction」

**Author's Note:**

> Rough translation of the title (since I'm not that good with nihongo): Mischief and Mayhem
> 
> someone pls tell me if my translation is wrong omf i've barely had 2 years of lessons
> 
> This is just another sin.
> 
> EDIT 1/27/2017: The title has been changed from Akugi to Shintaishougai to Itazura to Karadashougai. I honestly think that Akugi to Shintaishougai always had a nice ring to its name, but we had to change it because of a mistranslation. We're so sorry for this! The name Akugi to Shintaishougai will always be in our hearts.

“The captors are escaping! Catch them!” Kai yelled, as Inouka and Yamamoto charged after the cloaked figures, their maroon cloaks fluttering through the wind. “Kenma!” Alisa screamed, her hands desperately trying to reach out to her brother.

“Don't worry, Alisa! I'm gonna save Kenma!” Lev exclaimed, climbing up towards the rooftop to save Kenma.

He ran across the rooftop, catching up to the two. They stopped, one of them scoffing in annoyance “Give up my brother!” Lev yelled, unsheathing his sword. Inouka and Yamamoto ran to them, securing the back. “Give it up, we've got you surrounded!” Yamamoto demanded, lifting his spear. Inouka followed his actions, lifting the long weapon as well.

The captor carrying Kenma 'tch'-ed in annoyance, turning to his ally “Shirabu.” He grunted, as the said man brought out a small round vial filled with purple powder. The brunette threw the item towards the two guards and chanted an incantation.

“Bakuhatsu.” He whispered, making the vial explode into a big cloud that was tinted purple in color. Inouka and Yamamoto coughed, fanning the purple mist away. Lev sprinted towards them. “Yamamoto-san! Inouー”

“My prince, don't! You'll let the captors escape!” Yamamoto screeched.

“Whaー” Lev took another step.

Shirabu and his companion sprinted pass Lev.

“No!”

As the two reached the edge of the roof, they turned around to face the noodle-like prince and the two guards once more. “Make sure you never forget,” The captor carrying the pudding-headed prince grinned madly. "That the captors of your dear Prince Kenma are named Kenjirou Shirabu and Tendou Satori!” The boy named Tendou laughed, jumping off the roof with Shirabu.

“Kenma!” Lev screamed, running after them, but Kai held the green-eyed prince back “No, my prince. It's much too late; those captors from Shiratorizawa have already escaped! There is nothing we can do.”

“But Kenmaー”

“You've already done your best to get your brother back! We will do our best to trace the tracks of Prince Kenma's captors. Shibayama,” Kai called out, as the mage in training appearing out of red smoke “Escort the prince back to his bedroom.”

Shibayama nodded, as he tugged on Lev's red yukata “Come on, your highness. Let's go.” Lev sulked and followed suit, as he gazed at the wall where Tendou and Shirabu once stood.

“Kenma...”

 

 

 

 

※※※

 

 

 

 

 

“How could you let them escape?!” Keita - the king - roared, a thick scroll flying through the air. Kai flinched, as he bowed even lower. “Forgive me, my king. We were close to capturing them, but unfortunatelyー”

“It's my fault, dad!” Lev shouted, stepping forward. The queen, Himari, eyed him softly. “Oh, Lev, darling. None of this was yourー”

“I was the one who promised to save Kenma, mom!” Lev interjected, clenching his fists. “I promised that I would rescue Kenma. Now that he's gone, there's nothing I can do about it from inside the kingdom! If there's anyone to blame, it should be me; not Kai-san, Yamamoto-san or Inouka! It should be me...”

Alisa ran to her younger brother, hugging him tightly. “Lyovochka, it's not your fault! You tried your best to save Kenma, that's what matters!”

His younger sister, Yukino, nodded in agreement. “I'm siding with Alisa this time. You tried to save nii-chan but failed,” Lev winced at the mention of it. “So what? Your efforts were not wasted. What matters is that we find Kenma and get him back safely.”

“But the only problem is, we have no idea who captured Kenma, or where he has been taken.” Keita sighed, rubbing his temple.

“Actually, if I remembered correctly, your highness.” Kai spoke up. “I believe the captors names were Kenjirou Shirabu and Tendou Satori. They may be affiliated with Shiratorizawa, since their cloaks were maroon.”

“And their robes were white!” Inouka yelled, receiving a kick in the shin from Yamamoto “Y-your highness..!” Alisa withdrew from the hug, turning to her father. “But where will we find any leads from Shiratorizawa. I've heard that they are a very secluded and secretive kingdom.”

“Then, perhaps, _I_ can be of service.” A new voice spoke, the rice paper doors opening gently.

A young girl in a white cloak stepped in, her maroon robe screaming which kingdom she was working with. Her face was covered by part of the robe, and only olive locks of braided twintails were sticking out of her cloak. She slowly strutted towards the royal family with Kai, Inouka and Yamamoto on high guard.

“State your name, affiliation and birth kingdom.” Kai's voiced boomed, as the girl pulled off her hood, revealing her sapphire blue eyes and he rest of her hair. “My name is Taki, and I am a priestess loyally bounded to Shiratorizawa, my birthplace.”

"Huuuuh?! And what do you think your doing here, you Shit-torizawa scum?!" Yamamoto bellowed, making the olive haired girl step back. "Yamamoto, stand down!" Kai boomed, his voice loud and strict. Yamamoto sulked down. "Sorry, Kai-san..."

Taki took a step forward. "I beg for forgiveness, your highness. My people's minds have been corrupted with greed of power. Our secrecy towards the other kingdoms does not help as well." She sat down and bowed lowly, her forehead lightly grazing the tatami mat.

Keita gazed at the girl with consent. "Rise, Taki." She rose up, hands on the mint green mat, dark olive eyes staring at brown ones. "Tell me, Taki. What does Shiratorizawa want with Prince Kenma?"

"Our king, Ushijima Wakatoshi, thinks that we should abduct the most powerful kingdom's princes as hostages. He has the Queen of Karasuno, the King of Seijoh, the prince of Fukurodani and now the Prince of Nekoma." She explained, turning to look at the bright moonlight outside the throne room. "He will make you beg for mercy for your child. He will torture them until you submit to them, bringing Shiratorizawa absolute power among all the kingdoms in Sendai."

"But wait," Inouka interrupted, raising his hand. "If you're a citizen from Shiratorizawa, why are you sharing this information with us?"

The priestess huffed. "Ushijima's methods are too...extreme. I am not a person who would be pro-active to violence. He is a strict man who does whatever it takes to make Shiratorizawa one of the best kingdoms around, despite the fact that we aren't known for much."

Keita hummed "So how do you suggest we rescue the hostages, Taki?"

"Simple. We form a rescue team, with myself as a part of it. I already have a few people in mind."

Lev perked up and jumped. "I'll go! I need to rescue Kenma and succeed this time!"

Himari eyed him warily. "But are you sure you can handle this on your own..?" Lev nodded and brought a fist up to his chest "Mom, I promise that I  _will_ bring Kenma back. No matter what the circumstances may be, I won't lose like last time! Plus, I have Taki-chan with me, so I have no problems!"

The raven-haired woman sighed and gave a smile. "I will see to it that you bring Kenma back, okay Lev?"

Said boy nodded. "Of course."

Taki nodded. "So it's settled, then." She then turned to the king. "We leave tomorrow at dawn, if that is alright with his highness..?"

"I have no objections."

"So be it. Lev-sama," The tall boy gazed at the priestess of Shiratorizawa with eagerness painted in his eyes. "I have to discuss something with you in private, is that okay with you?"

"Of course!"

 

 

 

 

※※※

 

 

 

 

Lev closed the light rice paper door behind them, Taki sitting down on the mat once more. "So, um." He started, rubbing his nape. "What were we going to discuss again? You didn't specify anything yet, so..."

"But of course," She interjected, bowing. "My sincerest apologies, Lev-saー"

"No, no, _no_!" Lev shrieked, waving his hands in embarrassment. Taki withdrew from her gesture, looking up at him with a look of surprise. Realizing how loud he was, his face flushed. "Sorry if I startled you, but it's alright to call me Lev. I don't really like formalities that much."

Taki nodded. "Sorry." She mumbled and cleared her throat. "Anyway, I was just going to ask you a few things about your kingdom's prison." Lev's head tilted to the side. "Huh? The prison? What do you want to know about the prisons?"

"It's because the first person we need for our rescue team is in prison. Now if you can, please fetch me the prison cell keys from one of the soldiers around here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bakuhatsu - explosion


	2. 黒尾鉄朗「Kuroo Tetsurou ー the deal」

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for not updating any sooner. School has been a bitch to me and Buns as we're struggling with all kinds of assignments (like fucking calculus and trigonometry)
> 
> Anyway, Demon Hunting At Its Finest is still pending. Buns has yet to work on the plot and the universe of it all.
> 
> Plus, thank you for the support you give to us! We're pretty new to the community, but we love every single kudos you give our fics. Keep at it, guys! - Nico
> 
> P.S: Please follow us on tumblr and ask us everything you want to know (Buns is begging right now pls follow our tumblr) - http://buns-and-nicos-universe.tumblr.com/
> 
> EDIT (9/7/2016): Apparently I accidentally posted the sprak (sprak=draft/messy/incomplete in my context. Just some word I made up.) version of this chapter without looking. Terribly sorry, I was in a rush to post this

Kuroo sighed. He honestly never wanted any of this to happen.

Why? Well, to put it simply, he was stuck in prison for about 5 months and only because he was giving the pudding headed prince a little 'visit'...okay maybe it wasn't really a visit, but that's the way he saw it. He was only going to play a small trick on him, no big deal. Until the blonde's short friend entered his room, caught his presence and shrieked for the guards.

So long story short: He got arrested for an attempted ambush on the precious prince.

 _Way to go, Kuroo._ He thought, sighing. _After all your life of being the slyest and most wanted rogue in the whole kingdom, you manage to get caught because of something you apparently didn't do yet. What a joke._

He sighed once more and dusted his pants, smirking to himself. _But it's alright because I have something up my sleeve that will surely grant me my freedom from this shitty place._

He stood up from his straw bed, walking towards his small pouch of items that he (silently) 'borrowed' from a few other prisoners around. Before he could even grab the small hammer (which was lying around another cell for some strange reason he never understood) under the stolen stash, one of the guards opened his cell.

"Kuroo, there are people willing to pay for your release. Be grateful that the prince was able to pay for it too!" Yamamoto screeched, unlocking the cell with a creak.

Two figures stepped into the cell, a girl and a boy. The girl wore a white and maroon kimono, with a red obi tied around her waist and getta of a darker shade. With a maroon, white and gold trimmed cloak embroidered with swans concealing most of her face, the only thing he saw of her small, feminine face was olive locks of hair braided into two low twin tails that stopped over her chest and eyes with a darker olive screaming that one phrase every rogue knew.

Fuck you.

The boy, on the other hand, holy _shit_ he was fucking tall. His light gray hair was neatly parted and was kept so by a thin, red headband. He wore a black obi with a gold circle that neatly tucked his blood red suikan (it somehow lost one sleeve), covering most of his black montsuki kimono and the dark red sashinuki that hung from his long legs. Light grey tabi clad his feet, his red getta clicked with every step he took.

 _The lamppost is most likely the other prince of the kingdom,_ Kuroo thought, turning to the prince's female companion _This girl is probably a priestess or an arch mage from Shiratorizawa. Seriously, she should really change how she looks. It's creeping me out._

"I know what you're thinking about, Kuroo Tetsurou. I will _not_ accept the fact that you just called my appearnce creepy."

He looked at her in shock _Oh shit, how did sheー_

"I was taught how to read minds by one of our mages. However, I'm clearly not fit to become one."

"That's so cool, Taki-san! You can do that too?"

"Yes, Lev. I can."

Kuroo scoffed and waved his hand in dismissal, looking at his two saviors with a sarcastic sense of joy. "So, what brings you here, your highness? If you are here to see me, then it must be for some really important reason like rescuing Princess Yukino or something like that, right?"

The girl named Taki hummed and nodded. "Well, actually, yes and no. That's actually the reason why Lev and I came here in the first place. We are saving two princes, a king and a queen." Kuroo looked at her in disbelief.

"Holy shit, I was _right_?"

"In a way, yeah kinda." Lev shrugged, shaking his head. "But that's not why we're here, right Taki-san?"

Taki nodded. "Yes, of course." She took off her cloak, revealing the rest of her hair and face. "My name is Taki, and this is Lev,"

Kuroo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I know. He's practically the Prince of Nekoma. And you are supposed to be..?"

"A priestess from Shiratorizawa."

"Makes enough sense."

"Will you please stop interrupting me?"

"Gladly."

Taki cleared her throat. "As I was saying," She looked at Kuroo dead in the eye, her gaze sending shivers down his spine. "I would be honored if such a highly skilled rogue such as yourself to join Lev and I in a rescue operation to save the four royalties."

Kuroo looked at her with a small hint of doubt in his eyes. He sat back on his straw bed, leaning on the cold stone wall which cornered the bed. "And if I do help you? What's in it for me?" Taki hummed. "I'll demolish the bounty that was placed on you."

Lev 'ooh'-ed in response, his eyes sparkling with interest. "Now that I think about it, the bounty on you was pretty high, last time I checked. 400,000 gold pieces! Who knew you were such a highly wanted rogue! With a bounty as high as that one, people would be hunting for you in a flash!"

Kuroo grunted, smirking at the overly excited prince. "For someone as high-class as you are, you sure know a lot about us rogues, huh?" Lev's pale face flushed as he rubbed his nape. "W-well, Yukino nags at me to study about which rogue is which, and it so happens that I read up on you."

Taki crossed her arms. "I will also pay for your release from prison. Seriously, how did you end up in here?"

Kuroo flinched and gazed at the two with an unsettling look of regret on his face. "W-well..."

 

* * *

 

 _Alright,_ Kuroo thought, staring at the pudding haired prince who was busy reading a long scroll on his desk, often dazing off to glance at something else. _I'm going to nail this._

He lept through the rooftops of the castle, making sure the guards didn't notice his presence. Kuroo then landed on the porch of Kenma's study area, where he found the prince sleeping soundly on his scroll. Good.

Kuroo crept up to the sleeping prince holding up a small vial filled with purple powder ― the one that stains your clothes, if you're not careful ― above him. He swung his arms, right about to drop the delicate item―

Until the door swung open, with a small boy with caramel blonde hair walking in with four or five scrolls in his hands. "Kenma, here are a few more scrolls on spellsーholy mother of shit who the fuck are you?" He hissed, his expression morphing into a look of confusion and mortification. He looked at Kuroo, then Kenma, then back to Kuroo.

More footsteps then resonated outside, slowly making their way to the room "Yaku-san, here are the other...scrolls..." His female companion called out, making her way into the room. Her tired face was replaced with the same look of confusion and shock that the shorter male had on his face.

_...Kuroo Tetsurou._

_..! Y-yes, Yukino..?_

_What exactly are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to stay out of sight from nobles such as ourselves?_

_Oh, you know me, I was taking a stroll on the rooftops when I saw your beloved brother studying. Then I told myself: "Hey, why don't I go to him and pull off a little prank on him?". I was about to drop a vial of staining powder, you know, the one I used on you when we first met? Yeah that one. Anyway, I was about to throw it but it seems like your little friend over there interrupted my little fling._

_You don't say. You know, you_   _really_  should _be getting out of here. Yaku-san will have the guards after you any second now._

_Ugh, alright. I'll get to it._

"Katameru!" Yaku yelled out, and just as Kuroo was about to run for it, he froze in place. _Damn it! An immobilizing spell!_ He cursed, as Yaku screeched for the guards. 

 

* * *

 

"So you got arrested for an attempt to prank the prince." Taki deadpanned. "Not one way I'd see a rogue get caught."

Lev snickered. "Yeah! Most of the rogues I've read about were usually caught in pursuit or something worse." Kuroo glared at the silver-haired prince. "Oh shut up. Can we just get out of here? This place is really cold during the night and I can't spend another sleepless night tossing and turning around in my bed. Even the bed bugs can't sleep." He joked, making Taki roll her eyes.

"Well, it _is_ late. I suppose we should call it a night. After all, the next person I'm recruiting is in this very kingdom as well." She said, exiting the cell.

"Oh wow, really?! I'm so excited to meet them!" Lev exclaimed, green eyes sparkling like emeralds. Kuroo gathered his stolen items and followed the two. They walked past Yamamoto, who slightly blushed at the sight of Taki. He let them though the gates, returning all Kuroo's belongings and weapons.

("Are the guards from your kingdom really like this? Blushing profusely around the ladies? Or is it just me?" "No, it's not you. It's just Yamamoto-san, hahah!" "Y-your majesty..!")

"What're they like, Taki-san? Why'd you choose them?" She shrugged, walking up the path to the castle. "I can say that they are very interesting. Their past and history is something I am quite intrigued with, so maybe that's why I chose them."

Lev hummed. "Ohh... Are they nice?"

"Hmm... If you get on their good side, then yes. You could say that they're a nice person"

At the entrance were two servants waiting for them. "Taki-sama! Lev-sama! Kuroo-san! Let us lead you and your guest to your rooms."

So the three followed the servants to their sleeping quarters. They first escorted Lev to his room, then they settled Taki and Kuroo into the guest rooms. Although the rooms were spacious, they were beside each other; only rice paper doors separating them.

"Taki-sama, Kuroo-san. These are your rooms." The first servant said, bowing down. The other gave them two small sakazuki and poured sake in it. "We hope that you are comfortable with your sleeping quarters." She said, bowing “If you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to call us."

Taki nodded, doing the same "Yes, of course. Thank you for your hospitality." The servants rose from their ninety-degree angle and left the two standing by themselves.

"So I guess we'll be leaving in search for our other companions on our big day tomorrow, huh?" Kuroo asked, as Taki slowly rose from her gesture of respect. "I wouldn't really call it a big day, but yes. It could be for you." She said, smiling at him. "Get some rest. I'm sure you're sick of sleeping on straws of hay for 5 months, aren't you?"

Kuroo smiled a sarcastic smile. "You read my mind again, didn't you?"

"Not this time. It was pretty obvious from your eyebags earlier."

"Ha ha ha, very funny. Well, it's been a long night."

Taki nodded. "It has."

"And tomorrow will be a new day for us.” He rose his small porcelain cup. “To meeting a new person.”

She laughed softly and did the same. “To the safety of the four regals.”

“To the hopes of restoring peace in the kingdoms and whatnot.”

“To save Shiratorizawa from utter destruction.” Taki mumbled, her expression darkening.

Luckily, Kuroo didn't seem to hear or notice her. “Well, time to hit the covers. I've wanted to sleep in a futon for a while now. Goodnight, Taki-sama."

"You don't have to call me that. It's just Taki, to you." Taki scoffed, entering her room. “Goodnight, Kuroo.” She closed the door, leaving Kuroo to stand by himself.

"Right." Kuroo chuckled, entering his room. He closed the door and crawled into his futon. Yawning to himself, he slowly felt his eyes droop until he felt himself slip into his subconscious world.

 

 

 

 

※※※

 

 

 

 

The next morning Kuroo woke up to birds chirping outside his room and a soft knock coming from the door. He groggily got out of bed and walked to the door, ready to greet his early-bird of a visitor.

Kuroo slid the rice paper door open and yawned. "If you rose up early just to greet me a good morning, you got up at the wrong time, sunshine."

"And I wouldn't expect more or less from you, Kuroo."

"Yukino? Why are you up this early?" He asked, his voice still sleep-roughed. Yukino shrugged. "I'm not really sure myself, but something in me told me to get up early to talk to you. I was there when Taki-sama arrived, and when I heard that she and Lev went down to the cells to recruit someone, I knew it was you; I couldn't have be mistaken."

Kuroo hummed, entering the room once more. He slid the door to the porch open, walking to the ledge. Yukino followed him, as he stood on the ledge and extended a hand out to her. "Well, are you coming?"

"Where?"

Kuroo pointed upwards "To the rooftop."

"Are you kidding? You're going to get me killed." Yukino retaliated, crossing her arms together.

"Have I ever let you die in the past?"

"...Ugh, fine. But if they find me hanging out with you, I tell you, they _are_ going to tell my dad." Yukino groaned, grabbing Kuroo's hand. He scaled the edge of the roof and helped the female climb up.

They walked to a safer area ― somewhere where they wouldn't plummet to their death ― and sat down, gazing at the sunrise whose rays were casting out upon the kingdom.

They stayed silent for a while, until Yukino spoke up. "You know, I just love the atmosphere around Nekoma." Kuroo quirked up in amusement. "Oh you do, now?"

Yukino nodded. "I love how the sun rises here. It reminds me of my home, back when I wasn't...you know."

"Yeah, I know what you're talking about. So what else makes it so lovely; Lev's morning calls?" Kuroo asked, a hint of sarcasm in his tone. They heard a voice down below screaming. "Good morning, Nekoma!!!" At the realization that the owner of the voice was Lev himself, they laughed.

"N-not, not that. But I do admit, his morning calls are so much fun to listen to. He usually gets a beating from Yaku-san."A loud collision of bone and object resonated below, along with the shouts that followed.

“Lev, you're being loud again!" The first voice (probably Yaku's, Kuroo assumed.) screeched. "Uwah, I'm sorry, Yaku-san!" A second voice ― it was none other than Lev's ― screamed, the sounds of his fast footsteps gesturing that he was most likely running away from Yaku's wrath. Yukino and Kuroo laughed again.

And once the ruckus ended, the silence grew again; growing thicker and thicker by every second.

“You're so lucky, you know?” Kuroo started. “You've got everything; the whole package. You have a permanent home, nice siblings, servants that attend to your daily needs. Not to mention the great food, and dude, you're fucking rich. That pretty much tops everything in the whole package.”

Yukino glared at him. “Excuse me? What do you mean 'The whole package'? It's not like I wanted this kind of life. After all we've been through ー after all _he's_ been through ー do you actually think I'm happy because of a dream that was never supposed to come true?” She scoffed and stood up, looking at Kuroo dead in the eye. “Remember this, Tetsurou. I used to be happier. _He_ used to be happier. I hope that you realize that life isn't all about fame and fortune.”

“Yukino, Iー”

Yukino raised her hand up, making Kuroo stop. “I don't want to hear it, Tetsurou.” She walked farther away from him while summoning her staff ー a tall cedar staff with a blue moon-shaped orb floating in the hole at the uppermost part of it ー looking back at the male.

“And just so you know, you're envy and greed has always gotten the best of you.” Yukino muttered, whispering incoherent words ー probably a spell ー to her staff. And with that she disappeared, leaving Kuroo to watch the blue cloud she left behind dance in the wind.

“Kuroo, it's time to go.” Taki called out, entering Kuroo's room. She walked to the window and walked out to the porch, leaning on the railing to check on Kuroo. “I know you're napping on the roof.”

“Yeah, I'm coming.” He said, walking to the edge of the roof and hung from it. Taki rolled her eyes. “Will you please stop hanging around and pack your things? Lev's been itching to leave and I've packed all my things since this morning.”

“Right, sure. Speaking of packing, I need to pack. Now, which items should I bring with me to my den..?”

“Kuroo, no.”

“Kuroo, yes.”

 

 

 

 

※※※

 

 

 

 

“Please take good care of my son, alright?” Himari told Taki and Kuroo, turning to the rogue first. "I know that some may say that you're a troublesome trickster, but I trust that you can bring Lev home." She turned to Taki next, clasping the priestess's hands in hers. "I just hope you do the best you can for Shiratorizawa. Your nation needs to realize that they can't keep making decisions like this."

Finally, she turned to Lev, hugging him tight. "Lev, please take care of yourself. I know that I've said this over the table a hundred times but I justー" Lev cut his mother off with a groan. “Mom, I'm not a kid anymore. I can take care of myself.”

“Lev, darling, you're eighteen. You barely made it to the gates when you wanted to see more of Nekoma.”

“ _Mom!_ ”

She laughed softly and gently nudged Yukino's side. “Yuki-chan, aren't you going to say goodbye to Lev, Kuroo and Taki-sama?” She nodded and looked at Taki. “If ever Lev gets killed, send me his body so I can experiment on it.”

Lev gasped. “Yukino!”

“What a wonderful wish to make.” Taki started, as Kuroo mentally face palmed at her implied sarcasm. “I will see to it that he doesn't get killed, Himari-sama. If ever he does die, I will send his body to Yukino-sama. Would you like me to prepare it for examination and experimentation?”

“T-Taki-sama, why?!” Lev whined.

“Please do.”

“I thought we were a family, Yukino!”

“Ah, never mind that,” Keita chuckled, waving his hand in dismissal. “You better be going. Taki-sama, how can we ever pay you for this?”

She shook her head. “There's no need. All I need is your approval of the peace treaty I will issue once I overthrow Ushijima.” Kuroo raised an eyebrow at this. “Oh, so you're going to declare yourself queen after we defeat Ushijima? That's one hell of a big step there, Taki. Can you even handle a responsibility that big?”

“Of course I can manage. Shiratorizawa needs a better ruler in order to truly prosper. I am only thinking of what's best for the nation.” Taki replied, olive irises glistening with determination.

The king and queen looked at her in relief. "If that's so, then there's no need to hold you back."

"Please bring Kenma back, Taki-sama!" Himari said, as Taki nodded. "We will, don't worry." She turned to Kuroo and Lev, gesturing to the path leading outside the palace. "Shall we?"

Kuroo nodded and started walking beside her. Lev, on the other hand, chirped with joy as he ran after them. "Finally, a trip outside the palace! Oh man, I wonder how long this trip is going to take?!"

"Hmm, not long. The person I was talking about doesn't live far from here. They ー erm, he, rather ー actually reside in the Mage Village." Taki informed "But why did you want a mage to join us?" Kuroo asked, brushing the falling leaves off his shoulder.

"Don't you know it's easier to travel with a mage? Travelers would usually have mages use their navigation spells to get around faster." She explained, pointing to the path ahead "Come on, we're almost there."

 

 

 

 

※※※

 

 

 

 

 The walk to the Mage Village was a short one, with Lev asking all sorts of ridiculous questions like 'Are we there yet?' or 'How much longer?'.

(Kuroo honestly felt like Lev was some kind of kid trapped in an 18 year old's body. Not that it was his concern, but it was pretty concerning to say the least.)

Taki had been quiet the whole time, making it a little awkward if it weren't for Lev's gibberish. She had focused more on the scenery of the footpath, examining how the leaves rustled with the wind or the birds that chirped their harmonies. Kuroo wondered what she was thinking about that time, something about Ushijima's current reign or Shiratorizawa's well-being maybe, but he couldn't really tell for sure.

The village was bustling with all sorts of commotion, mostly the chatter that almost rivaled the kingdom's itself and the explosions from a few houses they'd pass by. Kuroo was amazed with how much noise the mages were all making at such an early time of the day, but maybe that was just how things were around here; lively, cheerful and busy.

A child had happened to bump into Kuroo, making her look up to him in horror. "A-ah, I'm sorry..!" She whimpered, her gorgeous caramel eyes glimmering in fear.

Kuroo let out a sigh and crouched down at her level. "It's alright, I don't really mind. I wasn't looking where I was going, anyway. Here," He held out his hand and conjured a crystal shaped as a ravishing lavender aster tatarius out of thin air.

"Consider this flower as an apology from me." Kuroo said, handing placing the fragile object into her tiny hands.

"T-thank you!" She exclaimed, eyes now sparkling like polished gems. "I'll never forget you! Um, is it okay if I get your name?"

His smile grew wider, fonder. "Kuroo. And your name would be..?"

The girl gasped. "Ah, right! My name is Hikari, nice to meet you Kuroo-san!"

Taki looked behind her to find Kuroo talking to Hikari, finding it cute to watch him interact with someone younger. However, now wasn't the time to talk. "Kuroo, we might lose you in this crowd. You need to hurry up, Lev's getting too excited for his own good."

He nodded and stood up, looking down at Hikari to ruffle her hair. "I need to go, alright? Take care of that flower for me, will you?" She nodded. "Of course!" She ran off ahead, disappearing into the crowd herself.

"So where is the house of the person we're supposedly going to recruit?" Kuroo asked, as Taki pointed to a house a few meters away from them. "It's right there, actually."

Lev squinted at the sight of it, unsure if he recognized the house or not. "Funny, it looks exactly like his house!"

As they arrived at the front, they took off their getta and made their way to the door. Taki softly called out to make sure that someone was inside and sure enough, a woman in her mid-forties answered, sliding the door open. "Oh, it's the prince! This is wonderful! Is there anything I can help you with, your highness?" She asked, her voice a bit raspy.

Lev nodded. "Yes, ma'am! My friend over here wanted to request you of something..." He gestured to Taki, nodding at her to explain.

"Good morning, ma'am. I am Taki, a priestess from Shiratorizawa. I was hoping if I could speak to your son for a just a brief moment. I would like to offer him a very important task that only he can handle." She informed, making the woman 'ahh' in response.

"I'm afraid he's out with his sister at the moment, but he should be coming back by now. Would you and your companions care to join us inside, my prince? And there's no need to call me ma'am, Shoko is fine with me." She offered, opening the door a bit wider.

Lev grinned. "It would be our pleasure, thank you!" He turned to Taki and Kuroo "Let's go wait inside, he'll probably return soon."

They entered and entered the dining area where they waited. It was quite an average looking house, with the interior looking like what most houses would look like. Kuroo compared it to his many hideaways in other kingdoms, which was mostly cold, dull and messy. All the house radiated was love, coziness and warmth; something he hadn't experienced in a long time. When  _was_ the last time he'd experienced such feelings? It all seemed like some fading memory to him, dissolving into the black abyss of his mind.

Shoko brought them tea and poured it into their cups, as she sat and waited with them. "It seems you're eager to speak with him. Is it _that_ important?" She asked, sipping from her cup "It's very important that I speak with him. Without him, I cannot think of any other person to take his place." Taki explained.

"I see..." She smiled fondly. "My son is very reliable, and he's working so hard to become a better mage, just like his father..."

"What happened to him?" Lev asked, interest picking up in an instant.

"He left on an expedition when he and his sister were very young. He always dreamed of the day he would come back, and yet, here he is: waiting for him." Shoko recalled, sighing at the thought of it. "I'm truly glad that he was born, he was the light of my life and he inspires many here in the village."

"He seems like a respectable man." Kuroo blurted out, making Shoko nod in agreement. "Yes, he's a well-respected man. Here he comes right now! I can hear his voice in the distance."

True enough, two distinguishable voices of a male and a female talking grew louder each time they got closer to the house. Kuroo heard a familiar voice telling what seemed to be a story to the other.

"ーI chased Seiji, and then I accidentally bumped into this tall man with weird hair! He seemed really scary at first, but he was actually very nice! Look, he gave me this flower as an apology!" A young female voice exclaimed, as the second voice made a noise of interest.

"He did now? Tell me, what was his name?" Two figures appeared in front of the doorway, as the girl grinned a smile that Kuroo would never forget.

"His name is Kurooーhey look that's him right there! Wow, Kuroo-san you're in our house!" Hikari shrieked, giggling with glee she tackled the man into a hug. Her brother's expression turned into a horrified one as soon as he saw the rogue. Kuroo's eyes were as wide as saucers once he realized who Hikari's brother was.

"You!" Yaku yelled, pointing an accusing finger at him "Mother, what is he doing in the house?! He's the criminal that tried to ambush Prince Kenma!"

Lev gasped at the sight of him. "Yaku-san, this is your house?! Wow, I can't believe it! I'm in Yaku-san's house! So that's why this house looked so familiar"

Shoko tilted her head in confusion. "But Taki-sama over here wanted to talk to you about an important matter that couldn't wait. What is this important matter, if I may ask?"

Taki cleared her throat and nodded. "Yes, of course." Kuroo whipped his head to Taki. "Oh no, don't tell me. Don't _fucking tell me_ , that he's the one? The mage you've been looking for this whole time?!"

Taki rolled her eyes and sighed. "Yes, Kuroo. And if you would, enough with the profanities. There's a child in the room and I do not intend to let her mind get tainted." She then turned to Yaku and replaced her exasperated look with a serious one.

"Yaku-san, I would be honored to have a highly ranked mage in the palace fight alongside us. So I ask you, will you join us in our journey to restore peace to all the kingdoms and to rescue the four regals?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Japanese traditional clothing has never been this difficult to write.
> 
> The Aster Tatarius flower represents rememberance, in Japanese context.


	3. 夜久衛輔「Yaku Morisuke ー the recruiting」

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's up, fam? We're back!
> 
> We are terribly sorry for not updating sooner! We've been having troubles with school and we've had so little time to prepare for this! Also, did we mention it was Buns' birthday last January 26? (Happy bday, lil sis!)
> 
> Don't worry about Dear Akira-san and Demon Hunting At Its Finest, they will still be worked on (Buns has been working on DHAIF's plot during her free time). And Akira's still alive, don't you guys worry.
> 
> We hope you enjoy the third chapter of Akugi to Shintaishougai and thank you SO MUCH for supporting us even if we haven't really updated in months. - Nico

“Oh no. No, no, no, no, _no_. I am _not_ going on some kind of adventure with a _rogue_! No less the rogue who almost pulled off a dangerous trick on the prince!” Yaku exclaimed, huffing angrily.  
  
Taki flinched back at the sudden outburst from Yaku, but recovered nonetheless. “Morisuke-kun,” She started cautiously, wary of the child and the parent present in the room. “All I'm asking of you is to come with us. I am sure you are aware that Prince Kenma was abducted by Shiratorizawa, am I right?”  
  
“Yes, but I would never work with... _him_!” Yaku screeched, pointing a slim finger at Kuroo. Taki sighed annd rubbed the bridge of her nose. She knew that Yaku was going to be a tough nut to crack, but she knew she had to try.

“But Yaku-san,” Lev started. "Kuroo-san is a neutral rogue. I'm sure he would never hurt someone.”

“Neutral or not, I will not work with him.” Yaku restated, crossing his arms.  
  
“Very well, Yaku-san.” She said, standing up. “I will give you until this afternoon to decide whether you should come with us or not. If you refuse to come with us, I will respect your wish. Come, Lev, Kuroo. Let's give Yaku the time he needs.”  
  
The two men stood up and followed Taki, who was almost out of the door. A small tug on Kuroo's clothes stopped him from walking any further, making him look down. Hikari looked at him with teary eyes, fat tears threatening to fall any second.  
  
“K-Kuroo-san, at least stay with us for lunch, please! I don't know when I'll be able to see you again, so I wanted to give you a proper meal before you leave with Taki-sama and Lev-sama!” She cried, wiping her runny nose.  
  
Kuroo sighed and knelt down to Hikari's level, patting her head “Listen, kid. Iー”  
  
“I don't see any problem with lunch. Hikari-chan is right, we should at least have a proper meal before we leave.” Taki said, as she turned to Shoko and smiled “I would be pleased if I could help you cook, Shoko-san. You must be tired from taking care of Hikari-chan.”  
  
“Oh no, please!” Shoko said, waving her hand in dismissal. “Let me take care of it, Taki-sama. Morisuke can help me out with cooking.”  
  
“Ah, Yaku must be tired from this morning's activities, so why not let him rest? As one of the best mages in the kingdom, he must be tired.” Taki retorted, walking to the kitchen. She picked up the bag of food Yaku had been carrying earlier and eyed Kuroo with a playful smile. “Kuroo, it seems that Hikari-chan is fond of you, so why don't you go play with her for a while? I'll send Lev to call you later.”  
  
Kuroo's eyes grew wide. “What?! But Iー”  
  
“Yay! Kuroo-san, let's go outside! I want you to meet my friend, Seiji.” Hikari squealed, dragging Kuroo out of the house. “Slow down, Hikari! You might trip!” Yaku called, as they disappeared out the door. Taki looked at the _ikebana_ basket's contents and hummed lowly “It seems that we're missing some ingredients...”  
  
“I'll get them!” Lev exclaimed, as Shoko looked at him in surprise. "Are you sure, Lev-sama? It's quite dangerous for a regal like you to be going out like this...” She said, her voice shaky.  
  
Lev shook his head and took one of the _ikebana_ baskets lying near the entrance of the house. “Don't worry, Shoko-san! I'll manage. Plus, I want to see more of the village. I've always wanted to explore more of the kingdom as a kid, but father wouldn't let me.”  
  
“As long as he doesn't get himself into trouble, it's alright with me.” Taki said, as Yaku took a step forward. “Taki-sama, I'd like to go with Lev-sama as a guard. I can't imagine what the king would say to me if something terrible happens to the prince. Plus, he may not be able to find his way back.”  
  
He turned to the tall prince and bowed down. “It would be my honor to lead you around the village, Lev-sama.” Lev grinned, a slight blush on his face “Thank you, Yaku-san! I'd be happy for you to join me.”  
  
“Alright, then. Lev, you can go with Yaku-san and go get more food for the meal.” Taki said. “Be sure to call Kuroo and Hikari-chan once you're done.”  
  
They both nodded and headed for the door. “We'll be off, then.” Yaku said, as he exited the house with an excited Lev bouncing behind him.  
  
Taki chuckled. "Morisuke is a nice kid.”  
  
Shoko laughed. “Well, he was raised to be a nice man, Taki-sama. He's all grown up now. With him being the arch mage of Nekoma, I'm afraid he's growing up too fast.” Taki took a teapot beside her and picked two teacups from a shelf. “Everyone has to grow up and learn, I'm afraid. It's one of the things that makes life interesting.”

"And what does that mean, Taki-sama?"

Taki placed a cup in Shoko's hand. "Imagine that the cup is Morisuke. Right now, it's empty and inexperienced. Once it is filled, however,” She poured the contents of the pot carefully, smiling “It will be filled with experiences. After the cup is filled, someone will drink from this cup to quench their thirst. Morisuke is just like this cup, he has been filled with so many experiences to benefit others.” The older woman nodded, taking a sip.  
  
“I hope that one day he can find the experience that will truly satisfy him.” Taki said, pouring tea for herself.  
  
Shoko nodded once more, as she sighed. “I hope so too, Taki-sama.”

 

 

 

 

※※※

 

 

 

  
“It's amazing to see what kinds of food and items they sell here.” Lev stated, looking at the different vegetables the vendors sold in their small booths. They greeted him with smiles on their faces, happy that their prince was taking an interest in their goods.  
  
Yaku gave a small smile and nodded, as Lev stared into a glowing orb one of the vendors had. “You seem awfully quiet, Yaku-san.” Lev said, as Yaku flinched and blushed in embarrassment “I-I was tired from my activities earlier this morning, Lev-sama...”  
  
“Yaku-san! It's okay to call me Lev. We're not in the palace, so I want to drop the formalities.” Lev said, grinning. Yaku's face flushed even harder, as he rubbed his burning cheek with his hand “I-I find it rude, your highness.”  
  
“Yaku-san.” Lev said, his lips forming into a pout “I know that I'm the prince, but aside from my family, I want to be called by name, without the honorifics, outside the palace or not.”  
  
Yaku blinked and smiled “As you wish, Lev...”  
  
Lev's grin grew wider as he hugged Yaku “Thank you so much, Yaku-san.”  
  
They weaved through the crowd, buying a few spices and vegetables, looking at other goods being sold. Yaku followed Lev from behind, as the prince happily pointed and laughed, grinning at him with so much joy, so much emotion as he ooh-ed and ah-ed at the stalls.  
  
And for the first time in years, Yaku was happy.  
  
“Do you think this is enough for the meal, Yaku-san?” Lev asked, showing the _ikebana_ basket to Yaku. The shorter man hummed, and nodded “I think that's enough.”  
  
“Is your father coming to stay for lunch? I'd be happy to meet him.” The prince said, as Yaku's lips turned into a thin line. Lev's eyes widened as Yaku's happy smile disappears and turns into a gloomy look. His saddened eyes turn to stare at the stoned ground, reflecting his sadness with its gray color. With his elbow, Lev slowly nudged Yaku's arm. When the mage didn't react, he bent down to look at his face, waving a hand in front of him. “Y-Yaku-san? I didn't say anything to offed you, did I?” He asked, his usual loud voice soft.  
  
Yaku gave a soft smile and shook his head “I-I'm fine... I just thought of something that happened in the past.” He took his _ikebana_ basket and readjusted its position on his back “Come on, let's go find Kuroo and Hikari-chan. Taki-sama and okaa-san are probably waiting for us.”

 

 

 

 

※※※

 

 

 

 

“Kuroo-san, look at this!”  
  
“Ah, it's beautiful, Hana.”  
  
“How about this, Kuroo-san?”  
  
“Looks good, Yuuri.”  
  
“My name is Minami, Kuroo-san!”  
  
“Right, I forgot, sorry Minami.” Kuroo said, sighing as he ruffled the child's hair. The women ー the children's mothers ー giggled at Kuroo who, in return, smiled sheepishly. They giggled even harder, and the children laughed. They went into the forests once more, in order to search for whatever they deemed beautiful and show it to Kuroo.  
  
“So, Kuroo. What are you doing here in the mage village?” One of the mothers asked, playing with a leaf that had landed on her lap. “Oh, I came with Taki-sama and Lev-sama to recruit Yaku for a rescue team the priestess planned. It's pretty cool, but I'm not sure how I'll get along with him. We've been on...bad terms.”  
  
The ladies all hummed. “Isn't Taki-sama from Shiratorizawa?”  
  
Kuroo nodded. “Yeah, she is.”  
  
“She's pretty nice for someone who's from Shiratorizawa. I've heard their king is supposedly a dictator of some sorts.” Hana's mother, Manami, said. The others nodded and whispered among themselves.  
  
“She's right. King Ushijima is a frightening ruler. Do you think she'll be as strict as he is?”  
  
“I know there was a person from Shiratorizawa who tried to escape.”  
  
“Yeah, but he was caught and was taken back to Shiratorizawa.”  
  
“Do you think that Taki is using you to gain the throne?”  
  
“What do you think, Kuroo-kun?”  
  
“Well, I don't want to believe in rumors.” Kuroo said. “We'll just have to see what happens next.”  
  
“And what _will_ happen next when you save the regals?” Minami's sister asked, crossing her arms across her chest. “The peace treaty will certainly do something sure, but haven't you considered the actual consequences of letting her rule over Shiratorizawa?”  
  
“Iー” Kuroo started. “Actually haven't thought of that.”  
  
She scoffed. “See? So how safe are we from Shiratorizawa? We all know they're so secretive, so how sure are we that we can trust Taki-sama.” The women started agreeing and discussed among themselves.  
  
Kuroo sighed. “Look, ladies, Iー”  
  
“Nobody move!” A voice yelled, as the women and Kuroo jumped and turned around. A group of men were surrounding the children, who were crying at the katanas being pointed at them. The women screamed and backed up behind Kuroo, stretching an arm in front of them protectively. Hikari was in the back, hugging a crying Seiji like he was her lifeline.  
  
“Look, I don't want any trouble, so how about you just give us the children, and we can all go back to playing and chatting, while you guys can just...go back to bothering other people.” Kuroo said, as the man that yelled, most likely the leader, snickered. “Look, buddy. You're worth a lot in this kingdom, and if we turn you over, we'll be rich! So hand yourself over, or the children will have a piece of our mind.”  
  
The other men laughed, and the children hugged each other closer. “K-Kuroo-san, don't listen to them!” Hikari screamed, as one of the men pointed his sword at her even closer.  
  
“Quiet, you!” The leader yelled, raising his fist to the air in attempt to hit her. Hikari screamed and cried even more, as Seiji hugged her protectively. “Look, just let go of the children, and I'll come with you.” Kuroo said, raising his hands up in surrender. “Just don't hurt the kids.”  
  
“But Kuroo-san,” Minami's sister spoke up. “Taki-sama will wonder where you are.”  
  
“I don't _care_.” Kuroo growled, making the girl flinch. “Just hand them over. I'll come with you.”  
  
“Alright, but no dirty tricks.” One of the men said. “Who knows what you got up that sleeve of yours.”  
  
“Let the children go first.” Kuroo said, stepping forward towards the group of men. They stepped aside as the children ran to the awaiting arms of their mothers. "Now that the issue is taken care of, give yourself up."

Kuroo took slow steps forward, as two men from the back marched towards him. He lunged forward and punched the man on his left side, as he crippled to the ground holding his face in pain. "I knew he was up to something! Do something about it! Catch him!" Their leader said, fuming angrily. Kuroo turned to the women and children, their faces filled with horror. "Go! I'll handle things from here, just get yourselves out of here!" They nodded and ran to the opposite side of the men.

"Now to deal with you guys..." Kuroo said, smirking. The man on his right charged at him with a clenched fist, but Kuroo was faster and was able to dodge in time. He unsheathed his sword, using the hilt of his sword, he had hit the burly man in the gut and kicked him in the back, sending him flying towards a tree.

Kuroo turned to face the rest of the men. “Anyone else wanna be sent flying?” He asked, pointing his sword at them. They all gave each other uneasy looks, and proceeded to flee.

“Kuroo!”

He turned to find Taki and Lev running towards him with worried faces. Lev had stopped running halfway, out of breath, as Taki held Kuroo's shoulders and stared at him dead in the eye. “Hikari-chan told us all about the bandits. What happened to them?”

“I took care of them.” Kuroo said, giving a cheeky smile. “Don't worry about it.”

“And I thought you were outnumbered...” She said, sighing in relief. Lev slowly walked towards them, still panting from lack of breath. “S-she...She brought me along in case we were too outnumbered, but I guess you were able to handle it by yourself. Good job, Kuroo-san!”

“Yes, that was very herioc of you, Kuroo.” Taki said. “We should be heading back now. They are all waiting for us with the lunch Shoko-san and I prepared.”

 

 

 

 

※※※

 

 

 

  
“This tastes amazing, Shoko-san!” Lev said, shoving more food in his mouth. The older woman laughed and waved her hand back and forth. “Oh please, it was Taki-sama who added more flavor to the dishes.”

“Perhaps,” Taki said, sipping her tea. “but Lev and Morisuke were the ones who gathered the extra ingredients.”

“It was no problem, Taki-sama!” The young prince said, giving a huge grin. “But we should be thankful for Kuroo-san too! He defended Hikari-chan from the bandits.” Shoko nodded and smiled, turning to Yaku, who ate his food quietly. “Morisuke, honey, is there something you would like to say?”

The mage paused for a while, and sighed. “I...I don't know what I would've done if I lost Hikari to those bandits, and for that, I give my thanks.” He said, swallowing the lump in his throat. “And...I would be honored if I would join you in your journey to rescue the regals and restore peace in Japan.”

“Very well, then.” Taki said, smiling. “I'll see to it that we leave right away, we have no time to waste. I'll have some horses ready for us."

"But Taki-sama, why are you leaving so soon? Will I be able to see my brother again?" Hikari asked, her voice hushed after the attack. "Darling, it's a long story and it's very confusing but don't worry, I promise that after all this mayhem is over your brother will return home."

"Thank you so much!" The little girl said, smiling brightly.

"Not a problem, Hikari-chan. Now let's finish our lunch, shall we?"

 

 

 

 

※※※

 

 

 

 

"Please return home safely, Mori." Shoko said, hugging her son tightly. "Don't sorry, kaa-san. I will." He said, as he hugged her back.

"Visit us sometime soon after everything is over, Taki-sama!" Hikari exclaimed with a grin. "I would love to eat your meals again!"

"And I'm sure you will." Taki said, as Yaku boarded his horse. Kuroo knelt down to the little girl's level, placing a hand on her head. "Take care of yourself, yeah?" He said, ruffling her hair. Hikari nodded and hugged the rogue tightly. "I'll miss you, Kuroo-san! Please bring my brother home safely!"

"I'll miss you too, kiddo." Kuroo said, standing up to board his horse. "We'll see each other again soon." Taki told Shoko. "In the meantime, we'll be on her way." She signaled her horse to move forward, and the rest followed.

"Yaku." Taki called. "What's the shortest route to Fukuroudani?"

"Fukuroudani?" He asked, thinking. "That would be through the market then the Eastern Border. It would probably take us a week to get there."

"Why are you so insistent on getting there so early, by the way?" Kuroo asked, his horse trotting behind Taki's. "It involves your friend, or should I say partner in crime?"

"Bokuto? I thought he was getting executed!"

"That's why we have to hurry. His execution is in a week, and we have no time to lose. We have to save him from the false accusation planted against him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmm, I wonder what happened to Bokuto? You'll all find out in the next part, so stay tuned!
> 
> Also, News Flash! You can follow Buns' new art blog on tumbr: http://ahoybuns.tumblr.com
> 
> There isn't that much content, but she'll post something soon, trust me.


	4. 同異 「doui ー settling your similarities and differences」

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, it's Buns. Nico's not here at the moment, So I'm posting the next chapter of Itazura to Karadashougai for him. Before you guys read, I just wanna make a few announcements.
> 
> I'm going to delete Dear Akira-san soon. This is really hard for me, because I know we said that she's still alive, but she's not anymore.
> 
> The person we got the inspiration to make Dear Akira-san, took her own life. We didn't know until we made a visit to her house two days before she died. It was really hard for us, so I'm going to delete it until I can get back up from her death and write it again.
> 
> Next up (and this is some good news), I've (finally) come up with a plot for Demon Hunting At Its Finest. I'll be posting the first chapter soon, along with a new fic I've been working on myself.
> 
> I'm really sorry for the short notice, but thanks for supporting Dear Akira-san either way. I'm sure she's happy with all the enjoyment you guys get and I hope she will be even happier when we republish it. - Buns

Before leaving for the border, Kuroo, Lev, Yaku and Taki had gathered their supplies from the market. The vendors greeted with warmth and wishes of luck with bringing their prince back and a few of them were kind enough to give them traveling tips as to which route they should pass through, where to stop for the night, and places where they could hunt in order to restock on supplies.

They travelled through the many villages they passed, making new friends and comrades who had gotten the news of the capture of the four regals. At one point they had stopped in the large village of Shinzen, who had welcomed them as soon as they saw Taki. Their chief explained that Shiratorizawa was a kingdom of power and the village has always admired them for their secrecy. Kuroo, Lev and Yaku had tried reasoning with the people, which angered them. As soon as they had pulled their weapons out, the battle cry of the nearby Ubugawa Village had resonated through the night air. Not wanting to get caught in the bloodshed, they had taken their necessities and fled the scene.

They had stopped at one of the lakes near the border of Ubugawa Village, as they set up for the night. Lev had gone fishing with Kuroo, who tried to argue, alas Taki had insisted Kuroo to let Lev accompany him and, as he was already outnumbered, agreed. Yaku, on the other hand, decided to stay and help the priestess set up the fire for the night.

As they gathered wood, the mage couldn't help but ask something in the growing silence. “Taki-sama,” Yaku started. “Why did you pick Kuroo Tetsurou, of all the people in this world?” Taki paused and looked at him with a confused gaze. “What do you mean, Morisuke?”

Yaku flinched at the sudden use of his given name, but mustered up the courage to speak. “I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm sure you have your reasons. It's just that...he's a rogue. Rogues are known for their mischievous nature and whatnot. They _literally_ cause trouble almost everywhere they go. Not to mention Bokuto Koutarou, who is also a rogue. So why them?”

Taki sighed and shook her head, as she smiled at Yaku. “Oh Yaku, you will never understand.”

Yaku cocked his head to the side. “Never understand what?”

“What they've been through all these years. All I merely want for them is to redeem themselves and avenge what they've lost.” Taki replied, as she continued to collect wood with Yaku. “Imagine this: I, as a priestess, am always treated with kindness and respect. People look up to me as a model figure and a good example. And there are also people like Kuroo and Bokuto who, as you have stated before, 'literally cause trouble everywhere they go'. Don't go judging people because of their status. I could be deceiving you with the kindness I'm showing you right now, while Kuroo and Bokuto could just be their own anti-hero.”

Yaku paused from picking up the stray pieces from the ground. “I...honestly never thought about it that way.”

Taki sighed and put a hand on his shoulder. “I've chosen all of you for a reason. I just want all of you to gain what you've wanted all these years. Redemption, a chance at love, _vengeance_.” She said, her tone hardening on the last few words. “This rescue team will bring all of you one step closer to those things. All you have to do for me in return is help me gain my kingdom back. Ushijima's reign has been feared for far too long.”

“I see...” Yaku muttered, staring at the fallen leaves that had dried up on the ground. “Should my reasons for liking them be similar to yours, Taki-sama?”

“Just because that is my reason for thinking this, doesn't mean that you should think the same. I suggest you try to learn more about him and see what I mean. Who knows? Despite your differences, maybe you'll be able to share something in common as well.” Yaku simply nodded and started helping her again, a bit lost at her words.

 

  
※※※

 

  
“Ah, fish! One of the best kinds of food on Earth.” Kuroo sighed, taking a bite from the roasted fish they had cooked from their catch. “Yaku, you're not eating the fish Kuroo and Lev caught?” Taki asked, as Yaku flinched and shook his head nervously. “H-honestly, I prefer meat...”

“Aww, but Yaku-san! We worked so hard to catch these! Just one bite, please?” Lev whined, eyes shining like a sad puppy. Yaku stared into the prince's eyes and sighed. “I guess one bite wouldn't hurt...”

As Yaku bit into his grilled fish a distant howl came from the distance and screams were heard. Lev stood up, looking at the distant mountains with his dazzling green eyes shining in the moonlight (they had always seemed to glimmer like gems, it seemed). He pointed at the array of high rocks exclaiming, “There's a village being attacked nearby!”

“Keen senses, Lev. A job well done.” Taki said, as she stood up and dusted her kimono. “It must be the werewolves. I think Lev and I can handle whatever's going on in that village. Kuroo and Yaku can guard the camp while we're away.”

Yaku nodded. “Of course. You can count on us, Taki-sama.”

“And leave me with him?” Kuroo asked, completely dumbfounded. “No chance in hell. I'm coming with you guys.”

“Kuroo,” Taki said, a strong tone in her voice. “I asked you to stay here with Yaku. If you have any problems with this arrangement, then I will be happy to switch places with you and let you fend the village _alone_. Do you want this or not?” He swallowed the lump in his throat and shook his head. “Good. We'll be back as soon as we handle the situation.” She said, as she smiled at Lev. “Shall we be on our way, Lev?”

“Sure, Taki-sama!” He grinned, boarding the horse Taki had mounted. As the priestess and the prince started to fade from view, Lev had started to wave at them. “See you later, Yaku-san! Kuroo-san!”

Once Taki and Lev faded completely from the mage's and rogue's view, the two had been glaring at each other intensely, not letting the other out of sight.

“So,” Yaku started after the long moment of silence. He took one of the fish that roasted over the flames and took a bite out of it. “What did you do to get Taki-sama's attention?”

“Dunno.” Kuroo bluntly stated, taking a bite out of his fish. “And it's none of your business either.”

Yaku snorted and rolled his eyes at the rogue. “Oh please. It's the *exact* kind of business I need to know, because I don't know what you might actually do to harm the prince and the priestess.”

“What if this is all some sort of trap from Shiratorizawa?” Kuroo asked. “We all know Shiratorizawa is very secretive. As soon as you know, we'll be shipped off to other kingdoms as slaves.”

“Taki-sama does _not_ have the heart to do that!” Yaku snarled, standing up.

“And what will standing up do? _Intimidate_ me?” Kuroo snickered, smirking. “You're probably as tall as Taki-sama. Maybe even _shorter_.”

With that, Yaku raised his hand and a red aura surrounded it. A part of the red light had separated from his hand and formed a big red sphere that floated in front of him. It then separated into smaller balls that formed into jagged diamond-like rocks surrounded by the same red aura; all aiming at the rogue. Kuroo gulped, as Yaku smirked. " _Tobasu_." He said, as the rocks flew towards him with a red streak of light streaming behind them.

Kuroo shut his eyes tight, ready for impact, but as soon as he realized that the rocks hadn't hit him yet, he slowly closed his eyes. The rocks were floating right in front of him ー god, they were literally about to pierce his face, body and legs ー and Yaku only laughed at the rogue's reaction.

He rolled his eyes at the mage. “Well played, sir.”

“This is why you should never mess with the arch mage of Nekoma.” Yaku huffed and retracted his hand, making the rocks disappear into a red glimmer of dust that faded away as the wind blew it away.

They stayed silent once more, as the moon's reflection made the lake glimmer. “I was an orphan.” Kuroo admits, as he picked up another fish to eat. Yaku looked at him and saw a glimpse of nostalgia in Kuroo's eyes. “The head of the orphanage would always beat me up for no reason. Then one day, a band of rogues came and raided the place. I was trying to defend one of the girls from one of them, and I knocked him down. Their leader took one look at me, and he took me in. Raised me like a son.”

He paused for a while, then continued. “A few years later, they took in a boy and told me he was my new brother. We didn't care if we weren't brothers by blood, all that mattered was that we had to stay alive. We were trained to be rogues and they taught us everything they knew, and most of the time we even learned tricks of our own. One day, the kings guard came and they...they...”

“Killed the rogues...” Yaku slowly prompts. “Did...did your brother survive...?”

Kuroo nods. “We were out hunting for food that day, and we were just coming back from our hunt, when we saw the kings guard leaving. We...we were devastated to see the ones who raised us dead beneath our feet. So we took our belongings and fled. We did everything we could to survive, and tried to help others as well. We stole things together just to give them to the ones in need. I mean sure, we weren't doing it the right way, but...”

“You've been raised that way, and now you're here...” Yaku finishes. “Where's your brother now?”

“About to be executed.” Kuroo bluntly states.

Yaku swallowed dryly. “Oh. _Oh_.”

“Yep.” Kuroo says, licking his lips. “I want to get to Fukurodani as soon as we can. I need to see Bokuto, he's the only family I have left.”

Yaku ducks his head and stands. “Well, you don't have to wait much longer than a night.” Kuroo looks at him and tilts his head in confusion. “I...I know a spell that can bring us to Fukurodani in seconds. I'll have it ready by tomorrow morning.”

Kuroo scrambles up to Yaku and hugs him tightly. “This means a lot... Thank you...” Yaku, who was at a loss for words, simply smiled and hugged him back.

“I think it's safe to say we can join them.” Taki says quietly, watching the unfolding scene from a tree branch not far from the camp. Lev nods beside her and grins. “Well, at least they've settled their differences, right?” She responds with a hum, and claps her hands together, as a maroon aura surrounded them and delivered them to the ground. The aura around them disappeared, and Taki made her way to mount the horse that had been waiting for their return.

“Get ready for tomorrow, Lev.” Taki announces, smiling to herself as Lev mounted the horse as well. “We set for Fukurodani first thing in the morning.”


End file.
